CO-BLX-Four Mile Canyon - Wildland fire - 7,500+ acres, 0%

Update: Incident Command: 63 structures lost in the fire with half of the area surveyed. 
 The Fourmile Canyon Fire is at least 3,500 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of about 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder.

CO-BLX-Four Mile Canyon wildland fire location map

Updates: 

Inciweb 0800hrs- The Four Mile Canyon Fire is burning in rugged, steep terrain west and northwest of the Boulder City limits. A total of 3,500 acres have burned. Multiple structures have been lost and many remain threatened. The fire began on September 6, 2010 in Emerson Gulch located in Four Mile Canyon. Communities impacted by this fire include Four Mile Canyon, Sunshine Canyon, Gold Hill, Sugarloaf, Pinebrook Hills, and Boulder Heights. Approximately 3,500 residents are under manditory evacuation.

Colorado - Four Mile Canyon - Wildland fire perimeter map

Cooler temperatures are expected today with wind speeds between 8-12 mph. Aviation resources will be assisting fire operations throughout the day today. A total of 175 firefighters are currently fighting the Four Mile Canyon Fire and are joined by three Type 1 hotshot crews. The Rocky Mountain Type II Incident Management Team will work the Boulder County Type 3 Incident Management Team on Tuesday.

0630hrs- WGBC, 9/7 0630 EBC Thomas' Type 1 IMT ordered for the Four Mile Canyon Fire (CO-BLX)

2030hrs- Yesterday- RMCC; Update: Four Mile Canyon (CO-BLX) , NW of Boulder, CO. 3,000 acres, 0% contained. 12 structures destroyed, 500 threatened.

Evacuations: Wildfire forced the mandatory evacuation of about 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. The evacuation area includes communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119).
There have been no evacuations within the city limits of Boulder.
Twelve people spent Monday night in the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado, Boulder campus. All other emergency shelters were closed because evacuated residents had made arrangements to stay with friends or family in the area, according to Red Cross officials.
Cause: The blaze broke out Monday morning in Four Mile Canyon northwest of Boulder after a vehicle accident involving a Propane transport truck and rapidly spread across 5 1/2 square miles or 3,500 acres. Erratic 45-mph gusts sometimes sent the fire in two directions at once.
Resources: Over 100 firefighters manning 35 engines from 30 local agencies worked to contain the fast-moving, wind-blown fire on Monday. Three aircraft also joined the fight flying 18 sorties and dropping 40,000 gallons of fire retardant on the fire. Additional aircraft are expected to join the effort on Tuesday.
Weather: .THE FIRE DANGER IS STILL HIGH DUE TO THE WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES.
http://gacc.nifc.gov/rmcc/predictive/news.html 
More Info: An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire. Residents are asked to contact the call center at 303-413-7737 instead of calling 911 unless there is an emergency to report. 
Contact: Boulder County Emergency Operations Center - 720-564-2935

Official Boulder County updates: http://boulderoem.com/component/content/article/5
Maps: http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/acti...maps&rCode=rmw
http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/data...10249_1900.jpg

CA-HUU- Buckeye Fire (Humboldt County) - 700 acres, 5% - IMT 4 activated

Buckeye Fire -on Buckeye Mountain near Petrolia is now 5% contained at 700 acres.
• No structure threat or evacuations
• ICT 4 has been activated
Situation notes:  Fire made several runs yesterday with spotting. Air Attack resources dealing with cloud cover and winds over the incident.  "keeps coming and going" and "wont go away" "squirly winds".

Buckeye Fire Map

Updates: 
0800- C-102 overhead stating 640 acres with potential 2000 ac right flank unprotected. Weather today 74, RH 43%, winds W 7 Gusts to 25. 50 structures threatened near Conklin Creek and Rainbow Ridge 1 destroyed evacuations in progress
0045- Last report from IC was 40-50 acres 2-3 structures (out buildings) lost 2 more threatend requested 3 type 3 strike teams 1 immediate to the fire. command is command 2 tone 2 and CDF tac 3

2240- yesterday- Reported by local vol. FFs. 5 Cal Fire engines, Petrolia VFD engine, 3 crews. IC just requested 2 WT, 2 engines, and 1 more crew.
IA: Units on scene of a new fire on Buckeye Mt. near Petrolia. 4 acres, moderate ROS, 1 structure heavily involved. Very long response time. 
Location:  Buckeye Mt. near Petrolia, Petrolia side. Access from Conklin Creek Road in Petrolia.
GPS: MODIS: Latitude:40.337 Longitude: -124.207 
Resource notes: SCU out of area strike team dispatch at approx. 02:00 hrs. for HUU fire:
Batt. 1618, Engines 1662, 1663, 1676, 1680 & 1684 to meet at station 14.
WX: Current weather from local raws site (Cooskie Mountain) 01:30
Temperature 52.0° F
Dew Point 43.3° F
Relative Humidity 72%
Wind Speed 31 mph from N
Wind Gust 52 mph 52

Spot weather forecast:

http://spot.nws.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/spo...&date=20100907

Radio feed: http://www.radioreference.com link 
RR feed 2 Link
More info:
CAL FIRE website: http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents...ncident_id=463
CAL FIRE Facebook

CA-BTU-WINDY- wildland fire - Windy Fire Ca-BTU is 120 acres and 85% contained

CA-BTU-WINDY - Wildland Fire Incident - 
Situation update
9-08-10 1900-Windy Fire [Update] north of Hwy 32 in the Deer Creek drainage (Tehama County) is now 85% contained at 125 acres. Containment lines holding with no fire spread. 
9-07-10 0900- Windy Fire Ca-BTU is 150 acres and 25% contained. Fire made several runs yesterday with spotting. Expecting moderate SW winds today with poor RH recovery today on the fire. With sufficient resources the management strategy should succeed by 09/08/2010

Acres Burned: 150
Containment: 25%
Sit Notes: Windy IC is a BTU fire Mostly an air show right now due to terrain. fire appears to be backing down into Deer Creek canyon with AA working fire hard right up to dark.
Updates:
1740hrs- IC did state that as long as the winds do not develop tonight, they should be able to hold it between 100-120 acres.
1630hrs - Smoke column is really getting dark and much bigger
Date/Time Started: September 6, 2010 12:00 pm
Administrative Unit: /IC: CAL FIRE Butte Unit - Fire is in the LNF but it is also in the BTU Direct Protection Area (DPA), hence they are responsible for the fire.

Location: (Tehama County). West of Windy Cut, off Hwy 32 at Windy Point and the "K Line", 6 miles Northwest of Butte Meadows. Windy Cut (an old FS lookout site along Hwy 32)
GPS: MODIS: Latitude: 40.162 x Longitude: -121.612
Windy Cut: 40.161255,-121.577461
(Staging) is here:
40.15227, -121.59025
K-line is here:
40.16181, -121.62445
Staging: K-line X Highway 32
Communications: 
Command - Butte Support 154.4150,.
Air Attack on 166.675 with
AG on 151.220.
Ground tacs NIFC T2 168.200
Fuels/Terrain/Behavior: Was almost caught early this afternoon but winds picked up with spotting and some torching and air tankers recalled.
Online scanners: - thenet411.net / scancal.org

NV-BRCFD- Burningman Fires and more - Video

Burningman Black Rock City, Nevada web-cast live 24-7 video  - 2010 Art Theme: Metropolis

Total views: 403,487

Great cities are organic, spontaneous, heterogeneous, and untidy hubs of social interaction. At Burning Man 2010, we will inspect the daily course of city life and the future prospect of civilization.

Burningman Video embedded from: http://www.ustream.tv/burningman

Listen to the BMIR coverage at http://www.bmir.org/

Ramona AAB - Minor Glitch captured on cam

IMAGE OF THE WEEK

What a difference a second makes.... (as automatically seen by an HPWREN motion-detect camera) Retardant operations had a minor glitch from Ramona AAB during product transfer from Airslide trailer. Lots of clean-up required by airbase staff. The powder is moved using low air pressure from truck transfer, about 6-10 PSI as the air escapes out when powder moves inside.   NOTE: No one was hurt after the airsock broke on back of retardant trailer, causing P-100 powder burst into air surrounding operations, loading pits and way out & over T-70 in pit #1 about 100' away. The airsock lets the air out as powder goes into trailer. Image caption by Ron SerabiaArticle source: http://hpwren.ucsd.edu/

CA-MVU-Cowboy - Wildland Fire - San Diego County, 827acres 82% contained

CA-MVU-Cowboy - San Diego County - Wildland fire - Extended attack - Started on BLM lands burning into SRA under DPA agreement

9-5-10 0800 - Cowboy Fire is 84% contained at 827 acres. The fire, which did not spread overnight, is burning in steep, rocky terrain with difficult access.  It is burning in areas that have not burned in 70 years. Some areas have no fire history in the last 105 years. Some of the fuel is 20’ high.  

Cause Updated:  Authorities said they were still trying to find those who sparked the blaze. The illegal immigrants had called Mexican officials "and advised them that they had been lost for two days, were stranded, dehydrated and were going to light a signal fire to attempt to get some help,'' Per Cal Fire spokeswoman Roxanne Provaznik

CA-MVU-Cowboy - Wildland Fire Perimeter Map

Fire is located at: 116.5213 W x 32.6254 N, 2 miles south of Lake Morena and 1 mile northwest of Campo, CA.

IA: E7412 Reporting off Hwy 94 Star Ranch, near Hauser Canyon, reporting 1 to 3 acres, Heavy fuels, Moderate Rate of Spread.
92°, RH 26%, winds W@7 w/ gusts to 15
Fire burning between Potrero; Campo in a SE direction with a local NW wind.
No threat to power lines or structures Difficult access to incident from Harris ranch road.
AA now has five air tankers assigned T-27, T-70, 71, 72, 73 - orders filled for HT-781 from Hemet; HT-729 (Sunbird-SDGE).
10 Type 3's, 3 HC, 1 AA, 2 AT, 3 Copters, 4 WT, 1 Dozer
1330hrs - Per AA 5-10 acres southwest wind mod ROS inaccessible requesting 2 additional AT and type 1 copter.

Incident Name: Cowboy Fire
Incident Time: September 2, 2010 13:11hrs
Incident Date: 09-02-2010
Incident Location:  Southwest of the community of Lake Morena, between Potrero and Campo,  near the Pacific Crest Trail in the back country,
GPS: Lat: N32° 37.25 long: W116° 31.36, Most of this rugged area hasn't burned since 1995-96.
Incident Type: Vegetation Fire
Fuels/Terrain: Heavy Brush and grass. Rocky, rugged, steep
WX: High temps, light wind gusts.
WX OBS: POTRERO Weather Conditions for: POTRERO, CA (POTC1) RAWS Link
Elev: 2345 ft; Latitude: 32.6058; Longitude: -116.6089

Number of Personnel:
Resources: 1700hrs-Requested 10 additional Type 3 engine Immediate Need to Star Ranch, 5 from Cal fire, 5 from CNF,
Crews: BDF crew 1, Big Bear HS, Vista Grande HS, Rainbow Crews 3, 4, Puerta La Cruz3 crews,
Structure protection in place: Central Zone Type 1 ST enroute to Star Ranch 
Assisting Agencies: BLM, USFS,
Cause: Under Investigation, U.S. Border Patrol officials said they received a call that two people who were lost started a signal fire in hopes of being found around the same time the fire broke out, 10News reported. Border Patrol officials have not found the two people and have not officially confirmed if the signal fire sparked the fire.
Comms: CDF-CMD2
Live scanner: Radio reference link
Web Cams Imagery:
HPWREN North Peak cam: http://hpwren.ucsd.edu/anim-a2/np-j1...p-j1-iqeye.jpg
HPWREN Lyons Peak cam: http://hpwren.ucsd.edu/anim-a2/hpwre...en-iqeye13.jpg
HPWREN MP-Laguna cam: http://hpwren.ucsd.edu/anim-g/hpwren...ren-iqeye6.jpg
Time lapse: http://hpwren.ucsd.edu/cameras/LyonsPeak.html
Ramona AAB cam: http://hpwren.ucsd.edu/anim-a2/hpwre...ren-iqeye7.jpg From Mt Laguna also
http://hpwren.ucsd.edu/anim-g/hpwren...ren-iqeye6.jpg  
More Info: (619) 590-3160 (Cowboy Fire Information Line)
CAL FIRE Incident Link
WildlandFire.com incident link 
Copter 10 cam: http://www.10news.com/video/15013365/index.html
10 News: Article Link 
Scribble map: http://www.scribblemaps.com/maps/view/tZ5DcSb03l

SFD: Stockton Fire reduced to BLS EMS

A strip of black electrical tape covers the paramedic signage on the Company 9 Engine. Advanced life-saving equipment also was removed from trucks.
Photo credit:CRAIG SANDERS/The Record

Firefighters forced back to basics

Under supervision, Stockton personnel banned from advanced medical procedures

By Zachary K. Johnson

Record Staff Writer

September 02, 2010 12:00 AM

STOCKTON - On Wednesday morning, city firefighters started their day covering up the word "paramedic" on their engines and uniforms, and state investigators took up posts outside emergency rooms to make sure the Stockton Fire Department was sticking to basic life-saving techniques.

Firefighters were barred from administering the more-advanced procedures that authorized paramedics normally perform.

Because of a long-standing legal tussle between the city and San Joaquin County over emergency medical services, it was the first time since 1976 that Stockton paramedics haven't been a part of the city's response to medical emergencies.

City and county officials say they want an agreement to bring Fire Department paramedics back.

State and county officials said that the people of Stockton were safe Wednesday: firefighters provided basic emergency medical care and worked in tandem with paramedics arriving with responding ambulances. It's a model used in other California cities.

But there was one instance Wednesday that shows what was lost, according to Stockton Fire.

In that call, firefighters arrived at a scene before an ambulance, but the firefighters were barred from giving the patient medication because that falls under the advanced-life-support list of techniques.

According to the county, an ambulance was delayed to a call because Stockton provided incorrect information to dispatchers. It was unclear Wednesday if these two incidents were the same.

Investigators from the California Emergency Medical Services Authority stationed themselves in teams of two to interview ambulance crews outside emergency rooms to ensure Stockton was not violating state rules by operating paramedic services without an agreement, said June Iljana, deputy director of the state agency. But things ran smoothly, and the investigators wrapped up early, she said. "We've just seen great cooperation."

After the Stockton City Council decided to temporarily suspend paramedic services Tuesday, firefighters began removing advanced-life-support supplies before Wednesday's 7 a.m. deadline, Deputy Chief Paul Willette said. "We did what we had to do to comply."

Out in the field, it looked as if the private ambulance company contracting with the county had added more ambulances and paramedics than usual, he said. "It's almost like they had to make up for the paramedic units that are off the street today," he said.

Jason Sorrick, spokesman for American Medical Response, said Wednesdays typically have high numbers of calls, and many factors can influence the number of ambulances in the field.

County Emergency Medical Services Administrator Dan Burch said there were three additional ambulances in service in the Stockton area, "just in case."
Not just paramedics

In June, a judge ruled in favor with the county over a 2008 lawsuit over paramedic services. The City Council voted to appeal.

But the two-year dispute over paramedics is not just about paramedics. It's tied inextricably to an even older dispute between the city and county over emergency medical services, in particular about who handles 911 calls in medical emergencies.

In March 2009, a judge ruled in favor of San Joaquin County, saying Stockton should transfer emergency medical phone calls to a dispatch center run by a private company contracting with the county. A second part to that dispute - over whether the county breached a contract with the city - could still go to trial.

Both sides say they're eager to find a way to resolve a total of three emergency medical lawsuits.

City Hall still is hoping to get a settlement proposal to the county before the end of the month that would restore paramedic services and resolve the dispatch issue, Deputy City Manager Laurie Montes said.

As for dispatch, the city is willing to hand 911 calls over to the county so long as fire dispatchers can listen in on the calls in real time, in case there is a medical emergency that also requires fire response. "We believe that provides the safest model for our citizens."

But county officials said settlement proposals from the city earlier this summer tried to carve out unique terms for the city, separating it from the county-wide system.

Public safety wins when a system has uniform procedures that increase efficiency and effectiveness in response to medical emergencies, Burch said. Competing interests lead to confusion or disputes over jurisdiction, sometimes in the middle of an emergency, he said.

"If we just let everyone do what they think is right," he said. "That's not what's best for our citizens."

Source article link
Staff writer Daniel Thigpen contributed to this report.

Contact reporter Zachary K. Johnson at (209) 546-8258 or zjohnson@recordnet.com. Visit his blog at recordnet.com/johnsonblog.

CA-RRU-Clinton Wildland Fire 65 acres 100%

Final update: Clinton Fire - off Clinton Keith Rd in the La Cresta area (Riverside County) is now 100% contained at 65 acres
RRU Website Incident Link

Incident Name: Clinton (75% CONTAINED)		Incident Number: CARRU-77822
Date Reported: 09/01/2010		Time Reported: 1:14 PM
Incident Type: Wildland Fire
Incident Location: Clinton Keith Road X Avenida La Cresta (TB 957-C1)			City: La Cresta
Size/Type of Fuel/etc.:		Cause: Under Investigation
Loss: $0	(STR): $0	(Contents): $0	Vehicle(s): $0
Save: $0	(STR): $0	(Contents): $0	Cost to Date: $0
Injuries:
Fatalities: 0	Critical: 0	Moderate: 0	Minor: 1	Non-Injury: 0
Transported Ground AMB: 1		Air AMB: 0
Containment Time:		Control Time:
Resources Assigned
Engines: 33		Breathing Supp.: 0		Helicopters: 2
Truck Co: 0		Squad: 0		Air Attack: 1
Firefighters: 280		RVC Medics: 0		Air Tankers: 6
Overhead Personnel: 6		AMB's: 1		Fire Crews: 10
Haz. Mat: No Co. Health: No County OES: No Fire Prev.: Yes Water Tenders: 4
Electrical Co: Yes Gas Co: No Water Co: No Bulldozers: 2
Red Cross: No	Chaplain: No	Displaced Persons: No	Adult: 0	Child: 0
Misc. Equip:	Sheriff's Office: Yes	CHP: Yes	Office: San Diego
Cooperating Agencies: CAL FIRE/Riverside, CAL FIRE/San Diego, California Highway Patrol – San Diego, Department of Fish and Game, Riverside County Fire Dept, Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, Southern California Edison, USFS – Cleveland
Supplemental
Comments:	UPDATE 09/02/2010 - 06:00 75% contained. Mapped size is 65 acres. Full containment expected by noon today and full control estimated by 6:00 p.m. this evening. A day shift of engines, fire crews and one helicopter is assigned. UPDATE 6:30 p.m.- Clinton Keith Road has been reopened to residents only showing proper ID and will be escorted through the fire area. Motorists are urged to use caution when driving through the fire area and yield to emergency vehicles. Power has also been restored in the affected areas. UPDATE 3:40 p.m. - Fire is now approximately 80 acres and 20% contained. No estimate on full containment. Road closure on Clinton Keith remains in effect as well as intermittent power outages. Attached are three photos of the incident. The first two are taken by the Information Officer, the third sent in by a resident. UPDATE 2:25 P.M. - Fire is now approximately 50 acres. Power interruptions may occur. Updates will be posted as information becomes available for the duration of the incident. One firefighter will evaluated by paramedics for heat related illness. UPDATE 1:40 p.m. - Fire is now approximately 5 acres burning at a moderate rate. The California Highway Patrol will be closing Clinton Keith Road at Bear Creek Road and west toward the fire area in both directions. Motorists and residents are urged to obey closures and barricades which are in place for your safety and the safety of the firefighters. Access in the area is permitted for emergency vehicles only. Please monitor the CHP website for updates on road closures and detours at www.chp.ca.gov Firefighters are on scene of a wildland fire near the Visitors Center. First arriving engine company reported 1-2 acres burning in heavy fuels at a rapid rate. Updates will be posted as information becomes available.
Problems:
Evacuations: No		Evacuation Comments:
Information Center: 951-940-6985		OR:
Prepared By: Jody Hagemann		Prepared Date/Time: 09/02/2010 0558

National Fire Information - National Fire News - NIFC Morning report

National Preparedness Level 2

(On a scale from 1 to 5)

Current hours for the National Fire Information Center are
(MST) 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday
208-387-5050

This report will be updated Monday - Friday.

September 2, 2010

Wildland fire activity remains light throughout the states. Five new large fires were reported: one each in Kentucky and Oklahoma; and three in Utah. Four large fires were contained: one each in Arkansas, Kentucky, Montana and Oklahoma.

Seventy large fires are being managed to achieve multiple objectives throughout the states. Uncontained large fires include only fires being managed under a full suppression strategy.

The Department of the Interior personnel are assigned to several locations in the Gulf of Mexico to assess and mitigate impacts resulting form the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. For more information regarding the response effort visit the following website, http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/site/2931/.

Weather: Warm and dry winds will continue from northern California to southwest Oregon. The western states will be warmer and dryer. Showers and thunderstorms will continue from the Great Lakes to the southern Great Plains.

Weekly statistics 9/2/10
Number of new large fires	5	States currently reporting large fires:
Number of active large fires	12	Idaho (3) Oklahoma (1) Oregon (4) Utah (3) Wyoming (1)
Acres from active fires	56,644
Fires contained since 9/1/10	4
Year-to-date large fires contained	444
Year-to-date statistics
2010 (1/1/10 - 9/2/10)	Fires: 43,431	Acres: 2,616,129
2009 (1/1/09 - 9/2/09)	Fires: 63,832	Acres: 5,147,710
2008 (1/1/08 - 9/2/08)	Fires: 63,108	Acres: 4,434,364
2007 (1/1/07 - 9/2/07)	Fires: 63,799	Acres: 6,854,854
2006 (1/1/06 - 9/2/06)	Fires: 78,037	Acres: 7,165,712
2005 (1/1/05 - 9/2/05)	Fires: 44,181	Acres: 6,818,389
2004 (1/1/04 - 9/2/04)	Fires: 54,266	Acres: 6,630,417
2003 (1/1/03 - 9/2/03)	Fires: 43,373	Acres: 2,556,710
2002 (1/1/02 - 9/2/02)	Fires: 60,335	Acres: 6,177,698
2001 (1/1/01 - 9/2/01)	Fires: 56,670	Acres: 2,840,500
10-year average
2001-2010	Fires: 58,984	Acres: 5,410,678

Current Wildfires
Arkansas	Fires: 0	Acres: 0	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 1
Skyline (Arkansas Forestry Commission): The fire was contained at 255 acres.
Hawaii	Fires: 1	Acres: 1,387	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Mauna Kea 33 (Hawaii County): 1,387 acres at 70 percent contained. This fire is 18 miles southeast of Waikoloa. Structures are threatened.
Idaho	Fires: 3	Acres: 4,537	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Whitehawk Complex (Boise National Forest): 1,439 acres at 29 percent contained. This complex of two fires is 14 miles northeast of Lowman. Precipitation continues to fall on the fires. Information: Visit the Idaho Fire Info website.
Harris Complex (Southwest Area Office, Idaho Department of Lands): 1,718 acres at 90 percent contained. This complex of four fires is five miles southeast of Horseshoe Bend. Roads remain closed. Information: Visit the Idaho Fire Info website.
Hurd (Boise National Forest): 1,380 acres at 93 percent contained. This fire is eight miles northwest of Cascade. Information: Call 877-341-6680 or visit the incident website.
Kentucky	Fires: 0	Acres: 0	New fires: 1	Fires contained: 1
NEW Nelson Creek 2 (Kentucky Department of Forestry): The fire was contained at 191 acres.
Montana	Fires: 0	Acres: 0	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 1
Davis (Helena National Forest): The fire was contained at 2,015 acres.
Oklahoma	Fires: 1	Acres: 226	New fires: 1	Fires contained: 1
NEW Hagan Mountain (Oklahoma Department of Forestry): 226 acres at 80 percent contained. This fire is one mile north of Barcelona.
Deer Barn (Oklahoma Department of Forestry): The fire was contained at 400 acres.
Oregon	Fires: 4	Acres: 47,990	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Scott Mountain (Willamette National Forest): 3,454 acres at 30 percent contained. This fire is 14 miles northeast of McKenzie Bridge. Information: Call 541-822-3381 or visit the incident website.
White Lightning Complex (Warm Springs Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs): 33,701 acres at 95 percent contained. This complex of four fires is 15 miles north of Warm Springs. Information: Call 541-553-1007 or visit the incident website.
View Lake Complex (Mt. Hood National Forest): 4,478 acres. This complex of three fires is 45 miles east of Estacada. Structures remain threatened.
Oak Flat (Rogue River - Siskiyou National Forest) 6,515 acres at 70 percent contained. This fire is 21 miles west of Grants Pass. Structures are threatened. Information: Call 530-598-9303 or visit the incident website.
Utah	Fires: 3	Acres: 1,800	New fires: 3	Fires contained: 0
NEW Subway (Zion National Park): 1,000 acres. This fire is ten miles north of Springdale.
NEW Little Jake (Dixie National Forest): 650 acres. This fire is 12 miles northwest of Escalante.
NEW Augusi (Vernal Field Office, Bureau of Land Management): 150 acres. This fire is 60 miles south of Vernal.
Wyoming	Fires: 1	Acres: 704	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Claybaugh (High Plains District, Bureau of Land Management): 704 acres at 90 percent contained. This fire is 30 miles east of Gillete.

 

SJFD: San Jose Fire Union refuses to save Laid-Off 49 Firefighters for 8.91%

San Jose firefighters shoot down city's request for pay cuts


By John Woolfolk
jwoolfolk@mercurynews.com


San Jose firefighters who argued recent layoffs have left them so short-handed they arrived late to a burning home this week had a chance to bring those 49 jobs back. But city officials said it would cost them 8.91 percent of their pay and benefits.

And the response from firefighters Friday was loud and clear: No thanks.

"It was unfair," said Randy Sekany, president of the San Jose firefighters' union. "We know they do have money. The priorities are wrong. They chose to keep other city services open in lieu of keeping fire services."

The union vote, with 88 percent opposing concessions, followed a day in which firefighters scrambling to douse a rash of fires arrived at a burning home two minutes later than their goal of reaching the scene in eight minutes. No one was hurt, but several pets died and the home was totaled.

City officials said it's unclear whether layoffs affected response to that home and are preparing an analysis for next week.

But Mayor Chuck Reed said firefighters, whose pay and benefit costs have doubled over the past decade, could have avoided the layoffs by joining other workers in sacrificing to ease the city's budget woes.

"I'm disappointed the firefighters don't want to rally around and help bring back the firefighters that have been laid off," Reed said. "Every department had to take cuts. Our community did not want to close our libraries and community centers in order to avoid making cuts in our fire department." San Jose is among a number of cities, from San Diego to Baltimore, slashing once-sacred fire services as revenues falter amid a sour economy.

The city faces its 10th straight operating deficit next year, even after pay cuts and hundreds of layoffs helped close a record $118.5 million gap in the current budget.

Firefighters, whose last contract expired more than a year ago, now head in November toward a second consecutive arbitration with the city over pay and benefits.

Reed has criticized that process for police and firefighters, arguing it has saddled the city with unaffordable costs. He has asked voters in November to approve a ballot measure limiting arbitration awards, which police and firefighters say provide fairness for public safety workers who cannot strike.

Relations between firefighters and the city have grown so caustic that a civil grand jury last year assailed the union's leaders for needless hostility toward management. Sekany disputed that.

City leaders this year asked all employees to give up 10 percent of their compensation to help close the deficit. Six city unions agreed, as did the City Council and executive management.

Police accepted a 3.82-percent cut that saved $8 million and 70 officers' jobs but still left 92 vacant jobs unfilled.

The firefighters are among a handful of unions that refused cuts. Sekany said firefighters offered to take the same pay cut as police and agreed to reduced pensions for new hires.

But city officials said the firefighters' offer fell $6 million short. They said that because the 647-member fire department is about half the size of the police force, officers could deliver more savings with smaller concessions.

The city's requested concession from the fire union would save $10.6 million and bring back the 49 laid-off firefighters but still leave 29 jobs vacant.

Sekany said his union's members don't buy the city's numbers. Firefighters have blasted city leaders for spending millions of dollars on land for a ballpark and a downtown development pushed by a former mayor. They argue the city has misspent millions more on less-urgent needs including fleet vehicle replacements.

City officials say money for the ballpark and downtown development comes from redevelopment funds that can't be spent on firefighter salaries and other operating expenses. And they say suspending vehicle replacement and other expenses won't solve chronic deficits driven by employee costs.

City leaders argued the requested concessions were modest for firefighters, who enjoy six-figure salaries and a pension that allows them to retire as early as 50 with up to 90 percent of their pay. A regular firefighter with six or more years on the job earns at least $110,079 a year.

Actual firefighter paychecks in 2009 totaled as much as $189,021 with overtime and other cash compensation factored in. Pay for top-ranked battalion chiefs approached $300,000.

Firefighters say their compensation is similar to what other nearby cities offer, while adding that their department has the lowest staffing per capita of any major city in the country. They claim the recent layoffs will increase overtime costs by $7,000 a day.

City officials say the layoffs aren't expected to increase overtime costs.

Source: Mercury News - Link